Category Archives: New Zealand

Brook Sabin is a travel journalist with Stuff.

OPINION: I was like a rabid dog under my mask. I may have even been foaming. I was furious.

I started the day masked and socially distanced in New Zealand. Just six hours later, I was in an overflowing underground bar in Sydney with 30-odd people packed so closely together we could smell each other's breath. Not one person was masked. Not even the staff.

After more than two years of cautious mask wearing, this wasn't a culture shock. It was a Covid shock.

This bar served wine, beer and potentially a free side plate of Covid. You might just be lucky, and escape with a hangover. Or you might get a virus that's killed more than six million people. I won't drink to that.

DAVID WHITE AND BROOK SABIN/Stuff

After spending time in Sydney, its become clear that we are still a hermit kingdom.

READ MORE:* Economics forum to explore opening up the 'hermit kingdom'* Lessons from our family holiday in Covid-ravaged Australia - It's not all bad* Tolerance for another lockdown 'dropping like a stone', says Waikato mayor

I kept my mask on and people looked at me like I was an alien. I kept trying to shut my eyes, because every time someone breathed on me it felt like Covid was merrily making its way into me via my eyeballs.

One guy explained you only use your mask if you're sick, or if your household contact has Covid (yes, you aren't required to isolate).

Arriving in Sydney was like rewinding the clock to 2019.

Aside from a passing mention on the plane, there were no Covid checks at the airport (I just had to fill out a form online before we departed).

Brook Sabin/Stuff

Me, the alien, with my mask on.

We were required to go straight to our hotel, and isolate until we returned a negative RAT test - which seemed sensible. That's where the Covid precautions ended.

We were checked in by staff without masks it's the first time I've seen the full face of a hotel worker in more than two years.

Malls, shops, restaurants, movies - almost no-one was wearing masks. There is a requirement for public transport, but it is widely ignored.

Over the day, I asked as many people as possible why they weren't wearing masks. The answer was almost universal: we've had the virus, and moved on. I specifically asked older people too, as I thought they might have a different view. They didnt.

Now, of course, that is an overly simplistic dismissal of a very complex virus.

Even if youve had Covid, there is a risk of reinfection. And the 8861 people who died of Covid in Australia can't move on. That's not to mention the tens of thousands if not more who face complications from long Covid. (Keith Lynch has an excellent deep dive into the issue here.)

But there was a genuine sense that Omicron has changed things: infection is inevitable. So why delay the inevitable?

Some also argued they were better to get the virus before their vaccine-induced immunity waned.(Once again, Keiths piece is worth a read).

Brook Sabin/Stuff

Almost everyone was unmasked during my trip to Sydney including at the Vivid light festival.

I made a decision that night in the hotel lobby to dramatically jump ship and adopt the Sydney way of life. If I got Covid, so be it. (Full disclosure: I'm in my early 30s with moderate asthma). I know this wouldn't be the right decision for everyone.

Over the next ten days, something pretty remarkable happened. I forgot about Covid. For the first time in more than two years, it didn't rule my social interactions. I went to the Vivid festival, where tens of thousands were crammed into small spaces. I came in contact with hundreds if not thousands - of people. I ate out for all meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. At around 30 restaurants, all packed. It felt liberating.

I havent had the virus (that I know of), and I didnt get it over there.

The only reminder of Covid came when returning home. I had to get a pre-departure test, but couldn't find a place to do it (I was in a small town outside Sydney). I wasted most of my last day organising it. And then there was the overly-bureaucratic and confusing seven task travel declaration needed to get back into my own country.

It also seemed pointless. You're required to RAT test after entering New Zealand, and on day five - so that should catch most cases.

NZ Traveller Declaration/Supplied

The New Zealand Traveller Declaration requires seven tasks to be checked off and must be submitted before you fly.

There is also so much Covid in New Zealand, per capita, many are more at risk of catching it here. Even the pharmacist questioned the need for the test as he was taking my money.

Arriving in New Zealand felt like I'd be teleported back to a place where Covid rules our lives. The Australian way of life had rubbed off on me so much that I twice forgot my mask heading to the supermarket.

The trouble with Covid restrictions is that they are so sweeping, for a disease that is so individual. My risk is very different to someone in their 80s who has emphysema. Sure, that person should continue precautions but should they be imposed on all of us?

Brook Sabin/Stuff

Thousands of unmasked people lined Sydneys waterfront for the opening weekend of the Vivid festival.

Sir John Key's declaration that New Zealand was a hermit kingdom never sat well with me back in 2021 - it was made in the context of Delta, which I wouldn't want to catch. I'm grateful most of us were protected through the worst of the pandemic.

To me, however, his criticism rings true now. Omicron is different.

Covid is going nowhere and the restriction-free life isn't as scary as it seems. More people need to head overseas and realise there is life after Covid.

Coming home felt like I was returning to a land of unnecessary restrictions. One where our overly-cautious attitude that worked so well during the early stages of the pandemic needs a recalibration.

Because much of the world is getting on with life. And we need to as well.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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I just flew to Sydney, and yes, New Zealand is (still) a hermit kingdom - Stuff

As a nation, New Zealand cannot get enough of the weather.

Tales of storms, and temperature- and weather-related chaos, attract readers en masse. Scroll through any social media timeline after a decent storm and feeds are inundated with photos of the carnage.

We crunched the numbers and spoke to Ben Noll, meteorologist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), to find out why Kiwis love a bit of weather.

READ MORE:* Look good, stay dry with these wet weather style essentials* Two tornados near Wellington in two weeks. What's causing them?* The marae defended by flood walls: How mtauranga Mori can prepare us for the coming storm* Extreme weather lashes Wellington region, residents told to brace for more

Sungmi Kim/Stuff

NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll, who is from the US, has found Kiwis to be more obsessed with weather than most.

Is the weather even that big of a deal, though?

You bet it is. People love it. Weather articles on stuff.co.nz consistently get a massive response. In May, Stuff weather stories accumulated 3,572,484 page views. To date, June weather stories have already generated 1,375,620 views. It is not just a winter thing either. In January, weather stories earned just shy of 7 million views.

Okay, but surely youd get that with any country?

According to Noll, you absolutely do. The US-born meteorologist says most people assume the US is the truly obsessed, weather-loving nation. After all, they have some pretty exciting stuff going on. From tornado chasers, to hurricanes and snow storms, the US has it all.

But pretty much every country thinks it has the weather obsession crown, Noll says.

So NZs fascination isnt all that special then?

Actually yes, it is. While every country may think they are smitten with weather, we Kiwis really love it. Noll says as an American he noticed New Zealand makes a pretty good case for being the most obsessed.

Okay, but why weather?

For a start, the diversity of the weather we get in New Zealand makes for great conversation. Weather talk is an easy elevator icebreaker, and the fact our weather has a bit of everything makes it exciting enough to keep coming back for more.

The combination of whats going on on land, and being surrounded by this massive ocean on all sides adds to the allure, Noll says.

It helps that winter is filled with storm stories and the odd tornado, too.

BRAD MACKAY/FACEBOOK

Waikanae resident captured this video of the tornado coming through on his CCTV. .

So we just love the chaos?

Youd think so, but nope. Noll says while winter generates some pretty intense weather chat, our summer weather obsession is just as strong. In fact, the NIWA team have a running joke about New Zealands Christmas forecast.

In the build up to summer, the NIWA team has a bit of a bet going as to when the first reporter will call, looking for a Christmas day forecast.

It usually happens in September or October but of course we can't provide a specific forecast for a day a few months in advance. Nevertheless, every year it seems to happen.

But if we love any old story, what makes a truly great one?

It pretty much comes down to what will be memorable for you.

For Noll, that story was his wedding in February 2022. It was the day cyclone Dovi arrived.

He said a wedding day would be the one day you really would not want a tropical cyclone to make landfall, and the irony is not lost on him that he, a meteorologist, picked a cyclone day to tie the knot.

I think something that creates that memorable experience, tying that human side of things, would make the best story.

Hang on, you mean this obsession is just so we have something to talk about?

Well, yeah, pretty much.

Noll says it makes for the easiest conversation starter, no matter the social situation.

Its like that ubiquitous chatter, it's an icebreaker for every situation.

Supplied

Winter has arrived with snowfall of up to 40cm falling in parts of the South Island.

Cant we just chat about any old thing?

Sure, but the weather is something that impacts everything and everyone. Noll says it brings people together, when people are pretty divided over a lot of issues.

Theres no way around it. Its one of those things where everyones in it together. You can have your own opinions about things, but the weather is the weather.

Do I need to understand it before striking a conversation?

Not really, but Noll suggests an understanding of the science behind a weather app can prove useful.

Anyone can be a weather forecaster in the year 2022, but if someone asks you about a phenomenon are you able to explain it or are you just a weather app-caster? he says.

I cant even scroll through my social media feed without seeing weather posts, whats that about?

It adds to the excitement, says Noll.

Social media has taken it up a level. We see people who are thrilled to send in photos of clouds and tornados or big waves. Were able to see these events from different angles almost in real time because of that, he says.

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Cheat Sheet: Why is New Zealand so obsessed with the weather? - Stuff

Hibernating is so 2020/2021.

With snap lockdowns a thing of the past (all going well), nows the time to make the most of the frigid weather thats set in. Think congestion-clearing walks, early-bird snow sessions, Matariki feasts and glasses of red by roaring pub fires.

Some of New Zealands small towns are at their most vibrant in winter, fizzing to life as visitors in search of snow and their famously good food and wine descend. Others find a peace and quiet that eludes them at other times of year, making them perfect for a rejuvenating low-key break.

Here are five of the best to visit this June. Let us know your winter small-town picks in the comments.

READ MORE:* 100 epic ways to enjoy winter in New Zealand * Winter wonderlands: Where to see the best scenery * New Zealand's most iconic mountains to see before you die

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Cardrona nails the cute alpine town vibe.

With snowy mountains, an old-school pub and scenery that wouldnt look out of place in the Scottish Highlands (especially if you stumble upon the distillery), this old gold rush settlement packs the best of the New Zealand winter into one photogenic wee package.

And we do mean wee. Theres not much more to Cardrona than its famous ski fields and pub, but theyre so good they simply must be experienced at least once and every winter ideally.

Set to open on June 11, Cardrona Alpine Resort caters for skiers and snowboarders of all levels across its 565 hectares of terrain, offering such a good time that, as one of its T-shirts says, its been promoting sick days since 1980. The mountain also happens to be a mini culinary mecca, with eight cafs and restaurants on offer. Quickly replenish expended calories at Captains Pizzeria (perhaps with a glass of local craft beer), head to Mezz for sophisticated aprs-ski fare, or sip hot chocolate or champers on a beanbag overlooking the Southern Alps and Wakatipu Basin at Vista Bar.

Another excellent way to get active is to take a horse trek through the snow-sprinkled hills of the high country (theyve already had a good dumping this year).

The Cardronas high country pub trail will see you ride through a working merino sheep farm and tussock country with spirit-lifting views of the Crown and Pisa ranges before tieing your horse up outside the legendary Cardrona Hotel for a beverage in the beer garden. If youre feeling lazy or dont like horses, opt for a quad bike adventure instead.

Stephen Heard

Horse trekking in Cardrona.

Established in 1853, the Cardrona is one of the oldest hotels in the country its cute but basic-looking clapboard facade belying the quality of the food and comprehensive drinks list. Look forward to traditional pub grub with a local twist. Think lamb burgers with mint salsa verde and cheeseburger spring rolls.

Pass Bradrona the infamous bra-strewn fence raising funds for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation to find yourself at Cardrona Distillery, which transforms locally sourced alpine water and foraged ingredients into award-winning single malt whiskey along with gin, vodka and liqueurs. Take the 75-minute tour to see the grain to glass process first-hand and taste a selection of spirits, or simply pop into the cellar door to pick up your tipple of choice.

BROOK SABIN

The Sky Waka gondola will take you to New Zealands highest cafe.

Get a head start on the snow fiends wholl flock to the Mt Ruapehu ski area when it fully opens in July by visiting in uncrowded June.

Open this month, Happy Valley is considered one of the best spots in the country for beginner skiers and snowboarders its long, gentle slope is ideal for finding your extended feet. If that sounds too much like hard work, book a one-hour sledding slot through Happy Valley Rentals for $29 per adult and $15 per kid aged five to 17. The carpet lift means you wont even have to walk to the top.

Nearby Meads Wall a short walk from the bottom of the Rangatira Chairlift is a free alternative. Its a popular spot for sledding and snowperson building when theres enough of the cold white stuff (and, at the time of writing, snow was forecast).

Snow or no snow, its worth riding the Sky Waka New Zealands longest gondola to New Zealands highest cafe, where you can grab a coffee or lunch with a primo view of The Pinnacles.

Lorna Thornber/Stuff

The Tama Lakes Track is an easier alternative to the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

If the weather gods refuse to play snow ball (or they do and youre comfortable trudging through the slippery stuff), there are some top tramping tracks to try out. Tama Lakes Track a quieter, easier alternative to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is truly deserving of the term hidden gem. Also located within dual World Heritage-listed Tongariro National Park, it offers similar scenery including sensational views of surreally coloured lakes and mounts Ruapehu and Nguruhoe minus the thigh-burning ascents.

If the bank balance allows, treat yourself to a night or few in Chateau Tongariro which, oozing old-school elegance, should make you feel like Kiwi royalty. Come evening, enjoy a cocktail in the roaring twenties-style lounge complete with roaring fire before sitting down to a chteaubriand dinner beneath sparkling chandeliers. And save time for a soak in the heated al fresco plunge pool.

Stewart Nimmo/Stuff

Explore the ice caves and arches of Fox Glacier on a heli-hike.

Not just a one-hit wonder, theres far more to this tiny town than its eponymous glacier.

One of New Zealands prettiest lakes (the mirror-like Lake Matheson), tramping tracks showing off the surrounding glacier-carved landscape and cosy lodges with a European ski resort vibe are among the other reasons to stick around.

Scenic flights are a popular way to check out 12km Fox Glacier, with some also taking in Franz Josef Glacier and Aoraki/Mt Cook. To get on the ice, try heli-hiking or ice climbing with Fox Glacier Guiding. The four-hour flying fox heli hike, which costs $499 per person or $1600 for a family of four, will see you chopper in to a remote stretch of Fox Glacier near Victoria Falls and don crampons to explore an ever-changing landscape thatll make you feel like a character in an IRL version of Frozen.

For free and eco-friendly glacier viewing, take a hike. The 2.6km (one-hour) return Te Moeka O Tawe Valley walk will take you past ancient moraines that cover dead ice left behind by the retreating glacier to within 500 metres of its terminal face. The 20-minute River Walk Lookout Track is an easier and fully accessible alternative or, if youre feeling lazy, just take a scenic drive along Cook Flat Road.

Eventually, youll reach Lake Matheson, where the 4.4km loop track will soon have you seeing double. Continue to the end of the 21km road to find remote Gillespies Beach, where the Tasman Sea appears to meet the Southern Alps. From here, a three-and-a-half hour return walking track leads to still more secluded Galway Beach with its resident seals.

Reflection Lodge, with its views of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman reflected in a private lake, is a picturesque place to retire to.

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Food and wine are always a focus in Havelock North but, in June, they take centre stage.

Food and wine are always a focus in this Hawkes Bay town, but theyre pretty much the reason for being in June.

The winter version of the Food and Wine Classic (F.A.W.C), which runs until June 26, features more than 40 events showcasing the best of the regions best.

Many events have sold out, but at the time of writing, you could still get tickets for a workshop at Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking School featuring a three-course lunch, a morning tea with cookbook author Nici Wickes at Black Barn Vineyards, and a fig tasting culminating in the traditional piping-in of the figgy pudding at The Figgery Cafe.

In other parts of the region, youll find a truffle-hunting mission followed by a four-course lunch matched with local wines, a fondue and wine session, and walk-up event featuring two for $15 tacos filled with the likes of slow-roasted pork belly, ajo blanco and pineapple salsa paired with you guessed it wine.

If youre worried about piling on the pounds, head up Te Mata Peak you can see all the way to the Mahia Peninsula and Mt Ruapehu on a clear day. Alternatively, get on yer bike and hit the Hawkes Bay Trails. Conveniently, the 200km network of mostly flat trails connects many of the best cafs, restaurants and wineries.

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A popular summertime playground, Akaroa is just as pretty and certainly more peaceful in winter.

Its not quite Chamonix, but theres more than a touch of the small-town French Alps vibe in this historic Banks Peninsula settlement particularly when theres a sprinkling of snow on the hills.

Akaroa Dolphins operates its two-hour scenic cruises year-round, offering an opportunity to see one of the worlds rarest dolphin species in the wild; and Pohatu Penguins will be happy to acquaint you with the Cantabrian branch of the Australasian Little Penguin family on their sea kayaking and 4WD tours.

Self-isolaters and stargazers might like to linger a little longer at Pohatu Penguins and book a night in the onsite cottage, tree house or gypsy wagon get 20% off stays between June 1 and August 31 when you book on its website and enter the code Relax22.

The 1250-hectare Hinewai Reserve, a privately owned ecological restoration project, and three-hour return Childrens Bay walkway (aka Rhino Walk) are great for defrosting legs and feet, and you can warm your heart at Shamarra Alpacas, where you can cuddle what are surely the cutest farm animals in existence on a property with priceless harbour views. You can stock up on winter woollies there too - jerseys, scarves, beanies and blankets are among the items on offer made from soft alpaca wool.

Pretend youre in Gaudis Barcelona in the sculpture garden of the Giants House and, if the weather turns, take cover at Akaroa Museum spread across the historic Langlois-Eteveneaux cottage and the old courthouse and custom house.

With its French and Mori heritage, food is naturally a focus, and harbourside restaurant Ma Maison is set to combine cuisines from both cultures in a five-course degustation menu to mark Matariki on June 22. The Grand Hotel, meanwhile, is hosting a hng and stargazing session on June 24. Its enough to tempt even this sloth out of hibernation. The sourdough starter and streaming services can wait.

Where are your favourite winter small-town picks? Let us know in the comments.

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Five of the best small New Zealand towns to visit in June - Stuff

SINGAPORE UFC senior vice president Dave Shaw has provided an update on the promotions international plans.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the UFC is yet to return to Canada, New Zealand and Australia, where theyve held numerous shows throughout the years.

Laws and restrictions have made it difficult for the octagon to return to those countries, but Shaw says its also a matter of a conflict of scheduling and finding the available slots for the UFC to host events.

We are actively trying to get back to regions and countries like Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Shaw told MMA Junkie. Countries we havent been to in a while that are very important markets for us, not only in terms of the partnerships that weve got, the content relationships that weve got, but also the number of athletes, and of course as you mentioned, some of the champions that we have.

Heres whats happening the world right now as COVID sort of eases a little bit and countries are opening up, is youve got this massive push towards live events. Youve got concerts, youve got exhibitions, youve got sporting events, and were no different. So the challenge for us is actually trying to find venues that are available when we need them to be available.

Canada has played host to some blockbuster pay-per-view events headlined by UFC Hall of Famer and former dual-champ Georges St-Pierre. Shaw said when the UFC return to Canada, itll be for another big show.

We want to get back first and foremost with a pay-per-view to Canada, Shaw said. I dont believe that July and August are the best times to come, its also really difficult to come in March, April, May when hockey playoffs are at sort of their fever pitch. So for us, weve got a few kind ofkey dates for pay-per-views in other regions around the world.

October historically weve been in Vegas, December weve been in Vegas, November weve been in New York, so trying to fit in a PPV in Canada or Australia, theres only so many times throughout the course of the year that we can actually get there and then you run into the problems that I just mentioned with availability. So were actively trying, were trying to get there as soon as possible.

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Senior VP Dave Shaw: UFC 'actively trying to get back' to Canada, New Zealand and Australia - MMA Junkie

There is a shamanistic mystery to the reading of a wicket. Many experienced players concede it is something they just arent good at, a mystical skill that never settled upon them, vaguely akin to the interpretation of tea leaves and the conjuring of visions from crystal balls. And Trent Bridge had produced a real puzzle.

The groundsman, knowing more about this wicket than most, warned before play that this would be a good toss to lose. With grass on the pitch and clouds in the sky the obvious decision was to bowl which is what Ben Stokes duly did but there was no devilry there at all. Englands new-look leadership turned out to be all motivation and no divination.

I think the toss is a really interesting thing in cricket you make a decision but you shouldnt expect things to happen, its just what you hope might happen, Jon Lewis, the England bowling coach, said. The most important thing was it was aggressive play: we were coming out to try and bowl New Zealand out. And I thought there was threat all day. I thought we could have easily bowled them out for 250 and wed be in a very different position.

A position different mainly by being completely untethered to reality, for all the chances England went on to miss. But Stokes decision was consistent with his very public intention to explore the wildest extremes of positivity.

Bowling always seems the more positive choice, while batting is necessarily reactive. Throw in the poor form of some members of New Zealands top order, the absence of the self-isolating Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls batting for the first time on the tour and bowling seemed a good idea whatever the state of the pitch.

For the Kiwis it proved, yes, a good toss to lose. If wed won the toss wed probably have bowled first, because it looked a bit green on top, Devon Conway said. But we changed our mindset to say, lets not think too much about the surface and just react to the bowling. The nature of the wicket wasnt as bad as what it looked and we tried to put pressure back on the bowlers.

This was swiftly achieved. The first 10 overs brought 25 careful runs and little evidence of any kind of pitch-related devilry; the next 10 yielded 51 and the first of several requests from England to change the ball. But then, in the space of two balls, the game changed. Stokes found Will Youngs edge and from second slip Zak Crawley dived to make a fine low catch, then Daryl Mitchell turned a very ordinary Jimmy Anderson delivery to Matt Potts at midwicket. Suddenly England had hope.

But these moments were to have consequences. Encouraged by that catch Crawley later dived across Joe Root only to drop Nicholls; perhaps discouraged by that moment he didnt move at all when Tom Blundell edged between him and Jonny Bairstow towards the end of the day. When youre stood in the slips and a chance comes, I dont think youve got time to think about whether youre confident, Lewis said. You dont really have time to ponder.

England finally got the ball moving after lunch, a period of great excitement and optimism that ended when Mitchell lifted a Jack Leach delivery into the stands, where it landed in someones pint of cider. It never swung again, and from 206-4 New Zealand scored another 112 runs without loss.

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We were quite shocked they didnt change the ball, said Conway. With all the protocols put in place these days we thought they might have looked to change it. After that it didnt swing as much. It was a funny passage of play. And one that not even the most talented pitch-reader could have seen coming.

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New Zealand make hay as England suffer from winning good toss to lose - The Guardian

Charlotte O'Leary died in a paragliding accident in France last week. Photo / Supplied

A French police report on the death of New Zealand paraglider Charlotte O'Leary in the French Alps has pointed to strong wind and poor weather as the cause.

Members at the local paragliding club decided not to fly because of the bad weather, the report said.

French news outlet Le Dauphine Libere reported O'Leary, 30, died shortly after take-off. She was flying solo.

Fellow paragliders alerted emergency services at 2.30pm after seeing a wing and body on the ground.

It is understood officers from mountain rescue organisation PGHM Jausiers attended immediately but O'Leary was already dead, the report said.

O'Leary, an experienced paraglider, was holidaying in Europe with her brother when the fatal accident happened last Thursday in Saint-Andr-les-Alpes.

The area, less than two hours from Nice, is one of the world's most acclaimed paragliding sites.

O'Leary, who studied medicine at the University of Otago and worked at Hauora Tairwhiti, previously Tairawhiti District Health, from 2017-19, had been living in Queenstown.

She had planned to return to New Zealand for the winter ski season at Coronet Peak and had taken a role as part of NZ Ski's medical team.

NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson said O'Leary was an experienced emergency doctor who was coming back for her second season with the mountain's medical rescue team.

"People are devastated," he said.

"Losing anyone in these circumstances is very tragic and she was a really talented and valuable member of the medical team.

"Our sympathies go to the family it's tragic."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the Herald it was helping O'Leary's family.

"We are aware of the death of a New Zealand citizen following a paragliding accident in France and are providing assistance to the family," a spokesman said.

When approached by the Herald, her family this week declined to comment.

Read more here:

Bad weather to blame in NZ paraglider Charlotte O'Leary's death in France - New Zealand Herald

Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup Qualifying Playoffs - Peru v New Zealand - National Stadium, Lima, Peru - November 14, 2017. New Zealand player Winston Reid attends a press conference at National Stadium. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo

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June 10 (Reuters) - New Zealand are sweating on the fitness of Winston Reid ahead of next week's World Cup playoff against Costa Rica after the experienced defender missed Thursday's scoreless draw with Oman in a warm-up friendly.

Bill Tuiloma captained the team in Reid's absence as the All Whites took on the Omanis behind closed doors in Qatar, where they will meet Costa Rica next Tuesday with a spot at this year's World Cup finals on the line.

Reid was suffering from a groin issue, but coach Danny Hay said he was confident the 33-year-old former West Ham United centre back would be fit for the clash in Al Rayyan.

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"He's had more injuries probably than I've had warm dinners over the last couple of years, so he knows his body really well," Hay told reporters.

"The medical staff are confident as well. We'll just obviously wrap a little bit of cotton wool around him over the next couple of days and then start ramping it up towards matchday."

Hay made nine changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Peru in Barcelona last Sunday in their first warm-up for the intercontinental playoff.

Despite creating the majority of scoring chances at Doha's Education City Stadium, the New Zealanders were unable to find the net for the second successive match.

"It served its purpose. It was an opportunity to give players minutes and that's exactly what it did," Hay added.

"We come out of it injury-free which is the most important thing. We created a number of opportunities and probably should have been up two or three goals at half-time."

New Zealand have previously qualified twice for the World Cup finals, most recently in South Africa in 2010 when they went home unbeaten after drawing all three of their group matches.

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Reporting by Nick Mulvenneydit; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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New Zealand sweat on Reid fitness ahead of World Cup playoff - Reuters

Saturday, 11 June 2022, 5:43 amPress Release: Athletics New Zealand

A team of eight New Zealand athletes harvested three goldmedals, one silver and two bronze medals and posted twochampionship records and a national U20 record on amemorable day four of the Oceania Area Championships inMackay.

Leading the way was World U20Championship-bound middle-distance athlete James Harding,who earned a confidence boosting win to out-kick theopposition and snag the mens U20 1500m title in achampionship record time.

The New Zealand U20 milechampion and national U20 800m record-holder bided his timein a tactical race before unleashing a blistering burst ofspeed from the inside rail to claim gold in 3:59.73 finishing 0.07 clear of Aussie MitchelLangborne.

James, 18, who is hoping to complete themiddle-distance double tomorrow (Saturday) in the 800mtomorrow, said: I am pretty stoked, I didnt have thebest build up and Ive had a few shocking races but Imanaged to put it together today.

The first 100mwas 20 seconds, slower than I was expecting. I was upagainst some class Aussies, so to close out the last 300m in41 seconds and take out the championship record, Impleased with that.

I have some big plans fortomorrow running the 800m. Ive done both events (the 800mand 1500m) before at nationals so I feel like Im wellequipped to cope. Winning today is huge ahead of the worlds(U20s) in Colombia in five or six weeks time. A bigconfidence boost.

New Zealand secured a shot putdouble in the U20 age division as Liam Ngchok-Wulf andNatalia Rankin-Chi Tar earned top spot on thepodium.

The John Eden-coached pair enjoyed differingvictories with Liam elevating himself from fourth to goldwith a magical final put of 17.37m in the sixth round.Australia duo Jason Parmaxidis (17.26m) and Angus Alberts(17.25m) had to settle for silver and bronze. Kiwi Max Abbotplaced sixth with a best throw of 14.89m.

Liam said:I wanted to get one out in the first round and try andbuild but I couldnt get it until my last throw when Ijust had to go for it

It means a lot to me (to winthe Oceania title). Ive been working really hard for thisone. It will be my last U20 comp leading into the seniorsnext year.

By contrast Natalia Rankin-Chi Tar ledfrom the first round and was unsurpassed as she was crownedOceania champion with a dominant display.

The18-year-old Aucklander led from her first round throw of13.52m, extended her advantage out to 14.19m in round twobefore unleashing her best effort of 14.37m with her thirdattempt. As a measure of her dominance Australian silvermedallist Kaitlyn Coulter was almost a full metre down witha best of 13.40m.

A delighted Natalia, who has beenselected to compete for New Zealand in the World U20Championships in Cali, Colombia in August, said: It ispretty amazing, the atmosphere is cool and the girls that Icompeted against were really nice. I did see Liams lastthrow and it did motivate me. I think today has set me upreally well for World U20s, the distance wasnt great butIll take it.

With one mighty boom of her rightarm, Abbey Moody smashed through the 50m barrier for thefirst time to claim a breakthrough silver medal in thewomens U20 javelin.

The New Zealand U20 javelinchampion came into the competition with a PB of 46.90m but amonster 50.42m effort in round two rose her javelin statusto a whole new stratosphere.

Australian MackenzieMielczarek took gold with a championship record of54.64m.

Abbey, who originally hails from Picton but isbased in Canterbury, said: Honestly, coming in I did wantto PB. I hadnt been throwing well in the couple ofcompetitions previously but hearing that 50 meters felt likeeverything came together.

It was so exciting. Ijust felt like everyone was watching back home and I knowthe emotions they would be feeling. It is so exciting tothrow how I wanted.

Sionnan Murphy enjoyed a dreamcompetition by bettering her own womens U18/U19 and U20discus F37 record on three occasions, launching the 1kgimplement out to a best of 22.16m at the Oceania AreaChampionships in Mackay.

The 17-year-old Aucklander,who finished fourth overall in the Para womens discus,started the competition with a bang adding 20cm on to hernational record set at the Night of 5s meet in March with aneye-catching opener of 21.78m.

In round three, Sionnanfired the discus out to 22.14m to breach the 22m barrier forthe first time in her career before adding 2cm on to thismark with her sixth round effort.

Australian athletessnared the three medals in the competition led by SarahEdmiston F44 who hurled the discus out to 33.79 butnothing could contain the post-competition joy ofSionann.

I am really stoked with my overallperformance and it was a great way to end the competitionwith a 22.16m. It is a PB for me and a new national recordwhich is a bonus, I just hope I make New Zealandproud.

When asked about what contributed to herdream competition she adds: I prepared myself bettermentally and I was in a better headspace. I went into thecompetition determined not become frustrated and just havefun with a good positive attitude.

Tomorrow I havethe shot put and it feel like today has given me a lot moreconfidence.

Emma Ferguson claimed bronze in thewomens U20 1500m. The 17-year-old of Feilding MoaHarriers was a little way short of her absolute best but atime of 4:43.01 earned a bronze medal behind AustralianHayley Kitching who set a swift championship record of4:19.47.

New Zealand U20 100m silver medallist NadiaEvans added the Oceania U20 100m bronze medallist, stoppingthe clock in 12.17 (0.2)

The 17-year-old Aucklanderwas rewarded with precious metal in a high-class race won byAustralian Hayley Reynolds in a championship record of11.70.

headspace. I went into the competitiondetermined not become frustrated and just have fun with agood positive attitude.

Tomorrow I have the shotput and it feel like today has given me a lot moreconfidence.

Emma Ferguson claimed bronze in thewomens U20 1500m. The 17-year-old of Feilding MoaHarriers was a little way short of her absolute best but atime of 4:43.01 earned a bronze medal behind AustralianHayley Kitching who set a swift championship record of4:19.47.

New Zealand U20 100m silver medallist NadiaEvans added the Oceania U20 100m bronze medallist, stoppingthe clock in 12.17 (0.2)

The 17-year-old Aucklanderwas rewarded with precious metal in a high-class race won byAustralian Hayley Reynolds in a championship record of11.70.

For full results go here

Forthe guide to when the Kiwis are competing on Saturday 10June go here

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New Zealand Toast Triple Gold In Mackay | Scoop News - Scoop

There isn't a way to ask this question without it coming across as slightly patronising but, on the evidence of at least two innings in this series and the body of work over the last couple of years, it's impossible not to ask: is Daryl Mitchell the most Kiwi player ever?

This isn't, rest assured, another paean to the plucky, lovable New Zealander underdog but, I mean, it's uncanny how many boxes Mitchell ticks. How, if you wrote up a pen profile of the Successful, Modern New Zealand Cricketer, if you didn't arrive at Daryl Mitchell, you'd have taken a very wrong turn somewhere.

There's the relatively late arrival onto the international scene at the age of 27, after 210 domestic games and eight seasons. All that time, away from the fierce and often debilitating glare of international cricket, developing quietly yet steadily, putting together a solid if unspectacular record before, boom, Daryl Mitchell is here, nice and ripe, more or less fully formed and winning international games.

Where on earth has he come from? How's he so good at this?

At various times in their modern history, every New Zealand cricketer has felt like they arrived with more than one skill. They did one thing really well and then they did everything else pretty well too. Mitchell bowls tidy medium-somethings, no doubt in preparation for that day somewhere down the line where he picks up a cheap Test five-fer, or defends 12 off the last over of a T20 where that might be the only over he's bowled in that tournament. It would be a very Kiwi thing to happen.

Mitchell gets low to reverse-sweep ... because it was the best optionGetty Images

Maximising. Squeezing the most out of himself. Except that this does sound patronising, that he is some limited athlete constantly straining to be more than the sum of his parts. He has bowled at the death in the Super Smash because he is obviously good at it, because he is an elite cricketer with skills to burn, who has grown up around an elite athletic environment.

He underplays himself nearly to the point of parody. If you thought you'd heard it all when it came to the modest, humble New Zealand cricketer, check this out, from an interview with the Daily Telegraph about his hundred at Lord's:

"I'll cherish that for the rest of my life," he said. "I've got a pic with my family that we'll frame. My place in the dressing room was just under the honours board with some of the greats of the game. I don't think I deserve to be there with them. But it's something I'll savour forever."

It goes without saying that he comes across as the kind of guy who'd be unruffled or unfazed in an earthquake. It also goes without saying that the two innings of note he's now played in this series have both come with New Zealand in different degrees of crisis: serious at Lord's, a milder one at Trent Bridge.

You know this script so well now it doesn't need pointing out that Mitchell would not even have played at Lord's if Henry Nicholls had been fit. Of course, he wouldn't. And yet here he is, their best batter so far. Because, Kiwi.

What has stood out, repeatedly since his debut but with growing clarity on this tour, is how uncomplicated he makes batting to be. Perhaps it is the contrast with this particular moment in the English game, with the overwrought and overthought handwringing about red-ball batting. Tied down as that is in details about techniques, like the guard batters are taking, or the mindset in playing spin, or to bigger-picture worries about the most opportune time to schedule the County Championship so that batters can learn to bat, or how the white-ball game is hacking away at red-ball batting.

Batting isn't easy, of course, and it can get very complicated. But it speaks to some essential difference in how cricket is run in both countries, even how cricket sits in those countries, that Mitchell was a makeshift T20 opener who won a semi-final against England's T20 specialists and has since scored runs against their Test specialists after playing in the IPL.

Sure, he had some luck at Trent Bridge. He should've been gone for three. But he played as if he didn't need luck in the first place, or that he was overly grateful having receiving it. He hit balls he felt he could to the boundary, he played out everything else. He has a decent record against spin so wasted no time in taking advantage when Jack Leach came on. He hit him over the top only because every time he did, it was the best option. He reverse-swept only because every time he did, it was the best option. When England went short, he didn't stop playing. He pulled and hooked whatever he could, even if he did get pinged late in the day, and he left what he couldn't reach.

Which says something about how this New Zealand side have become world Test champions. And which, in turn, leads us back to the question at the start. The problem is not that it is patronising as much as it shouldn't be phrased as a question in the first place. It should begin as the answer that, yes, Daryl Mitchell is completely representative of all that is the very best about New Zealand cricket and her cricketers.

Osman Samiuddin is a senior editor at ESPNcricinfo

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Underplayed to the point of parody, is Daryl Mitchell the uber-Kiwi? - ESPNcricinfo

New Zealand isn't the only country facing a shortage of nurses - can we compete when it comes to recruiting health staff from overseas?

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

When a teenage gunman shot dead 19 children and two adults at a school in Texas last month, Christchurch health workforcerecruiter Prudence Thomson was inundated with calls from the United States.

"It was pretty sad, I said to one of my recruiters, 'here we go, we're going to get some interest from the US'and sure enough we had some GPs, surgeons, nurses. It was just bing, bing, bing, 'hi I'm from the US'."

The recruitment process begins with a chat and sending through aCV.

"We ask what their motivation is to come to New Zealand. They say they want their kids to go to a school where they don't have active shooting drills and they don't have gun detectors on the door and I say, 'well, we would love to have you in New Zealand'."

Most of those initial approaches go nowhere, says Thomson, the founder of Accent Health Recruitment, one of a handful ofagencies in New Zealand specialising in hiring medical staff from offshore. She often gets a flurry of emails from countries where tragedies or disasters have happened.

"It's a kneejerk reaction."

Thomson's workload has soared as the workforce shortage grows and competition for internationally qualified nurses (IQNs) intensifies. New Zealand can't match other countries, likeAustralia, on salaries, but money isn't always the main drawcard, she says.

"I don't think I've had one nurse who's said they want to come here to earn a lot of money. They wouldgo to the Middle East."

But the process isn't helped by district health boards offering prospective employees different deals. For example, about half the nurses brought in from overseas don't have their flights paid for. Thomson hopesthiswill be streamlined under the new centralised health authority, Health NZ, so that all recruits are at least offered free flights and four weeks' accommodation.

Thomson is getting ready for a recruitment drive in Singapore where she will interview about 200 nurses, tell them about the culture of Aotearoa, and the relocation and registration process.

She explains what happens when the nurses arrive and the wraparound support they get, from welcome gifts of peanut slabsto help organising bank accounts.

The Detail also talks to Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels about the urgent need for homegrown nurses, how to keep senior staff and offer potential recruits a wider range of opportunities to join the workforce.

Find out how to listen and subscribe toThe Detailhere.

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How hard is it to lure nurses to New Zealand? - RNZ